1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to illumination. In particular, the present invention relates to projecting a beam of light of various wavelengths in a defined area at a controlled frequency to intermittently illuminate an object in the defined area.
2. Description of the Art
There are numerous known systems for lighting a relatively wide area. One such relatively wide area W0 is illustrated in FIG. 1A. The wide area W0 is relatively illustrated as a parking structure 10. In such a known wide area W0, when the parking structure 10 is located underground, or after dark, artificial illumination of the area is required. A known lighting system 11 is provided to light the wide area W0. Such a parking structure 10 often has numerous barriers such as beams 12 and columns 14 that inhibit or block light transmission. To provide substantially even lighting over the area W0, the known lighting system 11 typically includes a number of fixtures 16 located between the light inhibiting barriers 12, 14. Each fixture 16 typically includes a pair of fluorescent lamps 18.
Such an illumination system 11 suffers from a disadvantage because it is relatively costly to initially install and then operate and maintain a separate light fixture 16 between each light inhibiting barrier 12, 14 on each floor of the parking structure 10. The initial installation cost involves running wires and perhaps conduits to each of the many locations of each fixture 16 as well as the numerous fixtures and lamps 18 needed. It is relatively costly to maintain and operate the numerous fixtures 16 and lamps 18 used to illuminate such a relatively wide area W0 in a parking structure 10. This is particularly true when several levels of the parking structure 10 and ramps between the levels require illumination.
The cost of operating the known lighting system 11 is the cost associated with supplying electricity to each of the numerous lamps 18. The cost of maintaining the known illumination system 11 includes the cost of periodic replacement of the many lamps 18 located in many difficult to reach areas and the periodic cleaning of the numerous lamps 18, diffusers or reflectors, to remove dirt which blocks or absorbs light produced by each lamp and cuts down on the efficiency of the lamp.
It is known to rotate one or more incandescent lamps to illuminate wide areas. If rotation of these lamps is even slightly out of balance, a vibration can be generated that is transmitted to the lamp filament. The filament can break prematurely so the lamp requires replacing. Even if a particular rotating lamp is in balance, when it is replaced at some time, an out of balance condition can be encountered because lamps can weigh different amounts. Thus, a need exists for a way to easily balance a rotating lamp or lamps each time a lamp is initially placed, or replaced, in a socket or lamp holder.